


Promises (Un)broken

by SociallyAwkwardFox



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Promises, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25517866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyAwkwardFox/pseuds/SociallyAwkwardFox
Summary: Based on a series of tweets by wytchlyghts. When a battle against Trent Ikithon takes a turn for the worse, Caleb begs for the lives of the Mighty Nein and offers himself in exchange.
Relationships: Fjord/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 10
Kudos: 159





	Promises (Un)broken

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wytch-lyghts (flight_on_broken_wings)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flight_on_broken_wings/gifts).



> Based on this series of [tweets](https://twitter.com/wytchlyghts/status/1284895892089307137) by [wytchlyghts](https://twitter.com/wytchlyghts)! I couldn't resist the angsty goodness of this idea.

Blood. There was so much blood. It stained the grass and the metal of blades. It flowed freely from broken skin onto armor and robes. It flew in arcs through the night sky.

It covered Beau's abdomen where a spectral blade sliced through her skin like paper leaving her bleeding out in the dirt. It darkened Jester's green dress to a horrific black of mourning. It caked the side of Fjord's face as he gasped desperately for air. It coated Yasha's blade where it laid on the ground at her feet after being forced out of her hand by the magical bounds wrapped around her. It colored Caduceus's shield because it could only block so much. It splattered across Veth before she disappeared in the darkness of the battlefield. It soaked his hands.

It always soaked his hands. It didn't matter what he did, blood soaked his hands. The blood of innocents, the blood of his mother and father, the blood of strangers. Blood soaked his hands-turned them red and tainted. There was always blood. So much blood. Too much blood. All on his hands. Soaking a new layer on.

“Stop!” Even with the battle raging around them, his voice sounded too loud. “Trent, stop this! Please.”

“This has been a long time coming, Bren. If you didn't want this, you had plenty of chances to stop this.”

His heart thudded wildly in his chest as he looked down at his blood-soaked hands, then to the members of his new family broken around him. Jester crying over Beau's ruined body as she dug desperately through the haversack for a diamond that wasn't there. Yasha and Caduceus struggling against magical restraints keeping them vulnerable to attacks and unable to retaliate. Fjord staring at him with wide eyes as the same sword that felled Beau pressed against his throat. So much blood soaking his hands.

“Please, I'll do whatever you want. Spare them. They have nothing to do with this.”

“We both know that isn't true. They knew exactly what they were getting into, just as you did.”

“Whatever you want. I'll do it. I'll come back with you if that's what it takes to spare them. You can experiment on me like a lab rat. Play with my mind to your heart's content.” The blood filled his mouth with the taste of iron as he stepped closer to Trent. “I don't care what you do to me, but let them go.”

“If I wanted to take you, there's nothing stopping me. Whatever you thought you could accomplish was nothing short of ill-conceived childish notions. It's time to put an end to it-something I should have done a long time ago.”

As he came within touching distance, Caleb dropped to his knees with his bloody hands clutching desperately onto the last thread of hope for the lives of his family. While most of his world had narrowed down to Trent lording over him, he could still hear them around him. The rage filled screaming, heartbroken sobs, desperate pleading. He squeezed his eyes shut to block out the sound and choked back a sob that threatened to slip from his lips.

Tears blurred his vision when he opened his eyes up once again to look up at Trent as the desperation flooding through him spilled over. Giving in would mean becoming something he swore to never be again. He would become the thing he hated for so long. The person he knew wouldn't be redeemable. There would be no second chances. But he wouldn't let his hands soak in the blood of those he loved a second time.

Their lives were worth a hundred of his. He would soak his hands in the blood of thousands if it meant saving them. He told them he was a monster. He was selfish and cowardly and too broken to repair. Their lives were worth a hundred of his.

“Let them go. I'll do anything. Please, just let them go.”

The smile of triumph that twisted Trent's lips grew wider as he motioned for Eodwulf to grab him roughly by the arm. “There might still be some use for you. I suppose we'll find out.”

The hand holding his arm tugged him to his feet, then spun him to face his family as Trent began casting teleport. Through the tears he saw most of them as blurry forms in the darkness, but the glow of the spectral blade illuminated Fjord's face. He strained against the sword even as it dug into his throat to scream his pleads. At the last moment, the magic on Fjord released, allowing his hand to fly up in a desperate attempt at counterspell. The teleport pulled him away from his family with a furious scream ringing in his skull.

* * *

Everything went eerily silent. One second Caleb was there and the next he was gone. The battle over at a cost. A cost that shouldn't have been paid because he promised Caleb to make it work when they hardly knew each. He promised always in a sea hag's lair with their cut palms pressed together after a fight that could've ended with his blade slicing through Caleb's chest. Promises made without words, but fleeting glances on the battlefield and reassuring brushes at negotiation tables. A hundred broken promises to keep him safe, to protect him, to not let him lose himself.

With a scream of frustration, he slammed his hands against the ground and heard the bones crack from the force. He slammed his fists over and over again against the ground as hot tears rolled down his face. All he could hear was Caleb's broken pleading. All he could see was the terror in his eyes. All he could feel was the press of a spectral blade against his throat as he failed to do anything to stop it. 

When he finally stopped, his hands throbbed painfully, but he didn't let that deter him from pushing to his feet. He staggered over to Beau's broken body to wrap Jester in a hug as Caduceus worked on bringing her back. His eyes scanned for any sign of Veth hidden among the rocks and ruins littered around the battlefield. The pit in his stomach grew with fear when he couldn't see her anywhere, until Yasha's large figure crossed his vision. Perched on her shoulder was a bleeding Veth clutching at her side as her eyes searched for someone that wasn't there.

After Yasha set her carefully on the ground next to Jester, she looked directly at Fjord for answers. “Where's Caleb? I got separated, but the person just disappeared. What happened? Where's Caleb?”

“Veth, I'm-” The rest of his sentence died in his throat when he looked in her big brown eyes. “I'm-”

A loud gasp from their fallen monk distracted Veth long enough for Fjord to attempt to get his breathing under control. The press of his tusks against his upper lip as he clenched his jaw shut drew blood that filled his tongue with a familiar iron tang. He squeezed his eyes shut to hold back the tears threatening to fall, then opened them to find too many eyes on him. His nails dug into the scar on his hand causing his broken bones to scream in protest, but he needed the reminder.

“What the hell happened?” Beau's voice cut through the silence like a knife. “Fjord?”

“I broke a promise.” His arm dropped from wrapping around Jester as the tiefling took a step back to look at him with red rimmed eyes. They were all looking at him. “Caleb-fuck!”

When his hands buried in his hair to sharply tug it, he felt his legs give out as the last of the whatever was keep him standing left. The pain of his knees slamming into the ground felt nothing compared to the weight of their eyes watching him. So many eyes looking to him for an explanation. Looking right through him.

“Broke what promise? Fjord, where's Caleb?” Beau's usual composure cracked as she pushed off Caduceus to limp over to Fjord with her hands shaking at her sides. “Fjord, where's Caleb?”

“I broke my promise.”

“No, you... you're lying. They'll fucking turn him into a puppet. We said we wouldn't let that happen. We told him they wouldn't get their hands on him. He said he'd never go back to them, and we swore it wouldn't come to that!”

“I know.”

“You know? So, what happened?”

Fjord looked down at the scar of his palm, until the drip of a tear falling on the raised skin caused his heart to clench. “He told Trent he'd go with him in exchange for our lives. Said he didn't care what they did to him as long as we lived. I tried to stop them, but I failed.”

“He offered to go with them?”

“Yes.”

“They're going to brainwash him into being a monster for them. They're going to ruin him. We worked so hard to help and they're just going to...” To his surprise, Beau dropped in front of him to wrap him up in a tight hug. “We're getting him back. Whatever it takes. You're not going to break your promise. Fuck everything else. We're not letting them win. We're getting him back.”

“We'll get him back whatever it takes. Fuck the Assembly. We'll tear them down if we have to.”

* * *

Despite how hard he tried, all attempts at meditation didn't help him quiet the torrent of emotions and memories swirling around his skull. Instead, he spent hours poring over the map searching for their next destination because they still hadn't found him. They found traces of their movements, but they were always one step behind them. Every time they thought Caleb was within their grasps, their information ended up being old or they barely missed him. It felt like they were grasping at smoke with their bare hands.

With a sigh, Fjord marked off another spot on the map they already checked, then traced the most direct path to their next location. Even though he and Beau spent hours studying the thing, they hadn't figured out a pattern to their movements. None of the cities were connected and there wasn't a certain distance or direction they were heading. The randomness of it felt too fabricated to not have a hidden pattern for them to track.

“You should get some sleep.” Beau's hand clapped on his shoulder as she leaned her hip against the table to look at the map. “We all need to be at full strength for tomorrow.”

“Why? So, we can be prepared to ask more questions because they're gone before we get there.”

“This is the best lead we've had in a while.”

“In months. He's been with them for months.”

The hand on his shoulder gave a firm squeeze that helped ease some of the frustration beginning to boil his blood. “He's alive. We know he is. There's been at least one person that's seen him in every place. As long as he's alive, we can get him back.”

“Will it be him? I just... You know, it's hard to sleep at night. I either have nightmares about that night or of what they're doing to him or what happens when we finally catch up to him. Empty eyes, like with the succubus. I don't know if I could-” His throat tightened up at the thought of having to fight Caleb because he'd been told to. No recognition in his eyes while they pleaded for him to stop.

“I've been trying not to think about that. Thinking about it doesn't help. Focusing on figuring out a better way to track their movements will.”

“Yeah, I know, but-”

“No buts. We all let him down. This isn't all on you.”

“I know.”

“Well, you're acting like it is. You've done nothing but beat yourself up over it. We need to stay focused on finding him.”

“Believe me, I am focused on finding him.”

“Good, then that means you'll get some sleep now.”

With a sigh, Fjord took one last look at the map, then paused. “Do you see that?”

“See what?” His fingers traced from one point to the next, until he came to a stop directly in the center of all of them. “They're working out of one location and pretending to hop from town to town to throw us off.”

“That would explain why they were always a step ahead of us. Even if they were still there when we showed up, all they would have to do is teleport away.”

“Keeping him in the middle of nowhere would be the easiest way to assure we couldn't get to him before they completely fucked up his head. Separate him from anything that might trigger a memory and keep us chasing our tails, until they're ready for us to see him.”

“How many day's travel do you think this is? Three?”

“If we push hard, we might be able to make it in three. We'll need to be careful when we get closer. There's no telling what kind of traps and magical enchantments they'll have in place to protect them. Triggering something before we even get there could ruin any chance of getting to him.”

“Depending on what it is, we might be able to use what they have up in our favor.”

“Maybe. It'll depend on what they have on and what the situation looks like at wherever they're keeping him. There's going to be a lot to consider, but we won't know the best course of action until we see for ourselves.”

After marking the spot on the map, Fjord took a step back from the table. “We leave first thing in the morning.”

“Agreed. Get some sleep, captain. You're going to need it.”

* * *

The sound of an explosion going off signaled Fjord to move toward the mansion, until he got in range to misty step onto one of the second-floor balconies. When the door handle refused to budge, he slammed his elbow into the glass so he could reach in to unlock the door. He slowly opened the door in case anyone on the other side was prepared to attack the instant he stepped through. His concerns proved well founded because there was a person on the other side with a glowing hand raised.

Red hair cropped short, clean shaven face, blue eyes that looked clouded and duller than the last time he saw them. He wore plain black robes that caused his skin to look ghostly in the dim light provided by the orbs of light floating around him. The magic dancing in his palm fired out to slam against the door still partially blocking Fjord from view. 

As soon as it slammed into the door, he stepped in the rest of the way with his hands held up in a show of vulnerability. “All I want to do is talk.”

“You'll do plenty of talking when you're in chains.”

“Caleb, please, just give me a chance.”

“It appears you're misinformed. There's no Caleb here.”

“Yes, there is. I'm looking right at him. Your name is Caleb Widogast. You gave yourself that name and you did a lot of good with it. There are so many people alive today because of things you've done. Lives made better because you were a part of them. These things they're asking you to do aren't who you are. They're just using you to get what they want.”

“That's... None of that is true. Whatever you hoped to gain by coming in here with your lies isn't going to happen. Your friends might be distracting some of the others, but we were prepared for a possible attack.”

The sound of voices growing louder below them urged him forward a few steps closer to Caleb with his hands still in the air. “All I want is to bring you back to your family. We've missed you so much. I'm sorry we failed you. I'm so sorry we let him take you away from us and it took us so long to find you, but we're never going to give up on you. We'll fight tooth and nail to get you back. Whatever it takes. We just want you home. Your family wants you home.”

“My family is dead.” Flames flickered to life in Caleb's hand, but he didn't make a move to throw the swirling ball. “I killed them.”

“No, you didn't. We're still alive because of you. We love you, Caleb. Your family loves you. I know it's hard to trust someone you don't remember, but I need you to trust me. Please, trust me.”

The shouting grew in volume as fists began banging against the door when no one came to answer it. Fist turned into shoulders slamming into it repeatedly trying to break the wood down. The fire in Caleb's hand flickered uncertainly as he looked back at the door but made no move to open it. While his stance remained defensive, the confusion showed clear on his face when he turned back to Fjord.

“Caleb, I know I failed you once. No apology will ever be enough to make it up to you. I don't deserve your trust, but I need to trust me one more time.” As slowly as possible, Fjord stretched out his scarred hand with the palm up in invitation for him to take. “I know it's hard. Your trust doesn't come easy and I've broken it. All I need you to do is take my hand. I promise that I'll take you back to our family. If it's the last thing I do, I'll bring you back home.”

* * *

His training screamed at him to put an end to the man standing in front of him completely open and vulnerable to an attack. It wouldn't take much, just a burst of fire to the face to distract him while he ran for the door to get assistance from the guard on the other side. The man's voice threatened to break with every word and the way he spoke made it clear he wouldn't hurt him. He could burn him to ashes and he'd still be begging him to trust a stranger. A stranger that put his life on the line to do this.

“I was supposed to protect you from that sick fuck. I failed. He hurt you again. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make that right. I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you, and that starts with this. With getting you out of here and protecting you from them. I need this one leap of faith from you to do that. Please.”

The sharp snap of wood breaking behind him didn't help settle the anxiety crawling under his skin or the panic growing in his gut. Voices calling his name faded to the background because it didn't make sense. None of it made sense. It was his name. He knew it was, but it wasn't right. It was his name and it wasn't. He was this and he was something else. He didn't have a family and he did. 

There were so many emotions battling for his attention and too many thoughts screaming in his head, but one hand. A scarred hand reaching out to him with a question of trust sitting in the open palm. A nearly identical scar to the one on his own hand that he spent hours staring at when no one was looking because it didn't make sense. All jagged edges and inelegance and nothing he'd be taught to etch into his own skin.

He looked down at his scarred palm and imagined it pressed against the one held out to him as they made a promise. The slickness of their blood and the sting of the saltwater slipping through the small cracks to bite at the wound. Dark red blood swirling around them because...

His nails pressed into the scar because it still didn't make sense. This man had the same scar, but there was so much water. Why was there so much water? Why wasn't he drowning? Why wasn't he drowning at the bottom of the ocean while they stood with their cut palms pressed together and a promise on their lips?

Shaking his head didn't get rid of every thought scream in his head, but it helped him narrow his focus to the man's voice. “They're all worried about you. Beau and Veth and Jester and Yasha and Caduceus. I know those names might not mean anything to you right now, but they're your family. They love you so much. They've been so worried about you. All of this is for you because we love you. Caleb, I love you so much. We don't have a lot of time. I need you to take it.”

Between one breath and the next his body made the decision for him because his hand reached out to take the offer before his mind could fully process the choice. Somehow, it felt instinctual to lock their scarred palms together and follow the firm tug to tuck into his side. A part of him he didn't understand trusted that this was the right thing to do. This stranger that claimed to have broken a promise made to him would put all the pieces scattered in his brain into their proper place.

The door to the room shattered at the same time a sword appeared in the stranger’s hand and a thunderous clap filled the air. A familiar tugging sensation preceded the floor vanishing from underneath him, then it happened again and again. When the world finally stopped flying by him, he found himself standing in a small grove with a group of people covered in sweat and blood surrounding him. An oddly familiar firbolg gave a sad smile as he stepped forward to place a large hand gently on his shoulder.

The effect of the spell slammed into him so suddenly it felt like the world disappeared out from beneath him once again. A flood of memories filled his skull clicking the thousands of pieces floating around his skull back into place. He remembered why all these people looked familiar and all the things they'd done together and who he was. Horror gripped his throat as the memories they'd taken from him mixed with what he'd been doing for months.

Before his knees could hit the ground, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and steadied him against a solid chest. His hand scrambled to clung to the arm wrapped around his waist and dug blunt fingernails into it as tears began to cloud his vision. A sob tore from his throat when he couldn't hold it in any longer and the tears flowed freely down his cheeks. When his body started to tip forward because he couldn't keep himself up any longer, the hand at his waist without his fingernails digging into it moved up to the center of his chest to push him back up.

“Essek-the fuck out-now.”

Another wave of realization crushed over him bringing a broken wail out of him just as another tug of magical transportation grabbed him. When his body came to a stop this time, he felt like nothing more than a puppet with cut strings. The only things keeping him up were the two green arms wrapped around him. They'd broken him again. Nothing more than a broken shell of a person.

Through the tears and sobs, he struggled to catch enough breath to speak, until he finally managed a single word. “Fjord!”

Their lower bodies slammed into the floor causing his breath to hitch to the point of suffocation for the briefest of moments. His fingernails tore into Fjord's skin when the arm moved to turn his body sideways instead of being back to chest. Any signs of pain were covered by the tears streaming down Fjord's face as he dropped his forehead against Caleb's and brought his free hand up to cradle the back of his skull.

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry.”

Caleb dug his nails into the armor covering Fjord's shoulder and stumbled over his words. “I did terrible things. So many terrible things. I'm a monster. They made me a monster again.”

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Caleb, what they did to you-They're the monsters. You're not a monster. You're not. You're home. You're just home. You're home and you're safe and they can't get you here. You're safe.”

“Fjord, I don't-I don't know what to do.”

“We'll figure that out together, okay? You're safe, and that's what's important right now, but we will figure that out. Whatever you need. Whatever it takes. I'll do it. All of it. For you. You're safe.”

* * *

Rain slid down the window to create a puddle on the outside lip that overflowed down the side of the house to the ground below. Streaks of lightning occasionally illuminated the sky in a flash of white light that lit up the normally dark city. He could imagine the chill of the rain soaking through his clothes washing away the blood from the front of his robes. It would wash away all evidence of what he'd done.

The weight of something settling across his shoulders pulled him out of the memory and back to the present. Instinctively, he reached up a hand to touch the soft material lying over his shoulders, then tugged it more securely around him. He tucked his knees up to his chest to help keep the warmth of the blanket from escaping. Once he was satisfied, his eyes flicked up to meet those of the half-orc watching him closely.

“Sorry for disturbing you. You were shivering. I thought the blanket would help.”

“It does. Thank you.” He looked down to watching his fingers picking at the edge of the blanket.

“Essek is coming over later. He thought you might be interested in doing a little studying or learning a few new spells. Did you want to?”

“No."

“Okay. Do you want to be left alone?”

Fear settled in the pit of his stomach at the thought of being left alone with nothing but his own head for company. His hand tightened to grip the blanket until his knuckles went white and his nails dug through the material to press against his palm. He took a calming breath to keep the panic from overwhelming him before attempting to sleep.

“No. I don't want to be alone.”

“Do you...” Fjord's voice trailed off uncertainly for a long stretch, then his footsteps broke the silence until he joined Caleb on the window seat. “Did you want to talk?”

Instead of responding with words, Caleb shook his head no and nervously rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. The length of the window seat allowed plenty of room between them with Caleb pressed in the corner. When Fjord stretched out a leg to gently brush against the tip of Caleb's foot, he took the invitation to move closer. Fjord shifted to accommodate Caleb fitting his body against his side and relaxing into the familiar warmth. His growing anxiety began to lessen with the comfortable distraction of Fjord.

“I don't think I could study with Essek even if I wanted to.”

“Why?”

“All the words blur together. I can't read.”

“Do you think talking to Jester or Cad about it will help? They'll probably be able to figure out what happened.”

“I know why it's happening.”

“You do?”

After nodding, Caleb tucked his head under Fjord's chin with a shaky exhale. “I haven't been sleeping. I can't...”

“How long?”

“I don't know. Every time I close my eyes all I see are the faces of the people I tortured and killed. There's always so much blood and screaming. It never stops. I can't take it anymore.”

“Hey, Caleb, look at me.” With Fjord's hand gently guiding him by the chin, Caleb pulled back enough to meet his eyes. “When I promised to do whatever you need to help, I meant it. I don't care if you wake me up in the middle of the night. If you need anything from me, let me know. Even if it's just to talk.”

“I don't want to take advantage of your kindness. It's my-”

“I'm going to stop you right there for a moment because there's nothing you could do to take advantage of me. Everything I do is because I care about you, and nothing you do or say is going to change that, okay?”

Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes and his throat tightened for a brief moment causing his voice to come out shaky. “Okay.”

“If you want, we could talk about what's keeping you from sleeping. Or, we can try to get you some sleep. I'm sure sleep would do a lot of good right now.”

“Nothing works. I've tried tea and soaking in the hot tub and exhausting myself, but nothing works.”

“Well, I can think of one thing you haven't tried. Come on.”

After rising to his feet, Fjord held out a hand that Caleb immediately took and held on the entire walk to his bedroom. He continued to hold on as Fjord worked off his boots and pulled back the covers on the bed. When he motioned for Caleb to get in first, he followed the silent instruction to slip under the covers. Fjord immediately slid in next to him, so his body was between Caleb and the bedroom door.

“Is this okay?”

“Yes.”

“I'm going to be right here.” Fingers brushed a stray lock of hair out of Caleb's face, then trailed down to rest on his hip. “I'm not going anywhere if you don't want me to.”

Before letting his eyes fall shut, his hand pressed against Fjord's chest to feel the steady beat of his heart beneath it. The warmth of another body was different than having Frumpkin curled up against his back trying to comfort him. Instead of being a singular point, it completely encompassed him reminding him of when his mother used to stay up late with him. Their heads hidden under the blanket as they told each other wild tales they spun themselves, until they couldn't keep their eyes open any longer.

Fjord's body shifted closer almost pinning him to the wall behind him, then swept a thumb across his cheek that left a cool dampness behind. A light brush of lips against the top of his head drew his eyes open to meet those of his bedfellow. The intensity Fjord could convey with his eyes alone never ceased to amaze Caleb and always drew him in like a whirlpool. Another kiss to Caleb's forehead encouraged his hand to move up to hold the side of Fjord's face.

“I love you, Caleb. Please get some sleep.”

His thumb copied Fjord's movement across the other's cheek, then came to rest at the corner of his mouth. “I'll try.”

* * *

While he did his best to keep his attention on the task at hand, he found himself divided between helping plan and watching Caleb for any sign of discomfort. His face had been worryingly blank upon entering the room and he hadn't added much to the conversation going on around him. A gentle hand on Caleb's shoulder drew his eyes away from the map spread out across the table.

“What's going on in that head of yours?”

“A lot. This is probably the best opportunity we're going to get against them, but there is still a lot that could go wrong. Getting the jump on them is only going to get us so far.”

“Do you think it would be better to wait?”

With a heavy sigh, Caleb scratched at his forearms and flicked his eyes to the map for a second. “The longer we wait, the longer they have to make themselves more powerful. We are much better prepared than last time.”

“Whatever plan we land on, we won't let them take you again.” He raised his hand to cup Caleb's jaw, so he wouldn't be tempted to look away. “Even if things go completely sideways, I'm going to keep you safe. I promise.”

“I know.”

Caleb's fingers wrapped around his wrist to give a light squeeze, then stayed there with his fingertips pressed against the inside. The exhaustion and weight on his shoulders that had slowly lessened over the last few months seemed to be back tenfold. But, unlike when Fjord begged him to take his hand, determination and resolve shone in his blue eyes. He looked less like a reed threatening to break in a strong breeze and more like a powerful storm waiting to be unleashed.

“How do you want to do this?”

“Well, they're prepared to be attacked in even the most unlikely of circumstances, but we are very good at exceeding expectations when it comes to the unexpected. I think we do what we do best and get a little bit crazy.”

“You know I always love to hear you say that.”

“What about I have a few ideas?”

“That,” He dropped his forehead against Caleb's as a wide smile stretched across his face. “is even better.”

“Good because I've got a few ideas that they might not be expecting, but they're a little crazy.”

“Crazy is our specialty.”

“Ja, it is. No matter what we do. This won't be an easy fight. There are a lot of ways this could go wrong.”

“Like you said, we're better prepared than we were the last time and we'll be able to get the one up on them out the gate. There are a few things in our favor we can use to give us an edge. What did you have in mind?”

Caleb rhythmically tapped one of his fingers against Fjord's wrist and let out a little hum that sent a small vibration up his arm. “Essek did just teach me a new spell that I haven't had the chance to use. It would be a shame not to test it out.”

“That sounds like a fantastic start to a plan.”

“Exactly my thought.”

* * *

The world around them burned bright from the flames licking up trees and wagons that Caleb caught in a fireball. In the middle of it all, Caleb stood with Trent Ikithon at his feet pleading and begging for a life he didn't deserve. He looked like an avenging angel with the wind whipping his coat out around him and his red hair glowing in the fire light. His stretched-out hand slowly lowered to his side in a balled-up fist that shook with barely contained rage.

Fjord quickly cut the distance between them to join Caleb's side with the Star Razor clutched in his hand. When his arm brushed against Caleb's, a brush of fingers ghosted across his hand, then he turned and walked away. The anger that radiated off Caleb combined with his own as he looked at the pathetic excuse for a man. Blood coated his expensive robes and caked the side of his face where Beau pummeled him within an inch of his life before he could get away.

All the pleading in the world wouldn't have been enough to still Fjord's hand as he raised the blade for a strike. A part of him screamed that such a quick death wasn't enough for a man that tortured and killed others for his own personal gain. This man had messed with Caleb's mind until he couldn't remember who he was and forced him to do unspeaking things. Putting an end to him was a mercy he didn't deserve but keeping him alive after everything he'd done wasn't an option.

Without a word, he swung his sword down in an arc to cleave through his neck removing his head from his shoulders in one clean cut. His head thudded to the ground before his body slid to join it in the slowly darkening grass. The sword vanished from his hand as he turned away from the body of Trent Ikithon. He walked at a quickened pace to catch up with Caleb and let his hand come to rest on his lower back.

“Is it done?”

“Yeah, yeah. It's done.”

Caleb's head tipped back to look at the starry sky above their heads and let out a slow exhale. “Good. That is... that is very good.”

“Are we done here or was there anything else you wanted to do?”

Abruptly, Caleb came to a stop as he glanced over his shoulder at the dead man that wouldn't be able to harm him again. His face remained perfectly blank as the seconds dragged on, until he returned to facing forward. When he started walking again, the surety of his steps instinctively had Fjord matching his pace.

“We'll give time for Caduceus to do his thing, then we can get out of here. There's nothing else here for us. It's done.”

* * *

A month after he dealt the final blow to Trent a thought entered his brain that had been slowly growing in the back of his mind. At the time, he believed giving him a quick death had been mercy, but the gnawing sensation that bringing him to justice would've been true mercy couldn't be ignored. He knew wholeheartedly that his decision at the time was heavily influenced by his desire for revenge against the man that tortured Caleb.

As he sat in the kitchen watching the others moving about the room, he considered finding time to pray to the Wildmother about it. He could ask her whether or not he made the right decision or what she would've preferred he do. Her guidance might bring him peace of mind to finally lay the entire matter to rest.

All thoughts of praying went out the window when Caleb shuffled into the room still in his sleepwear and covering a yawn. He headed directly to the table to join Fjord, then plopped into the seat next to him. While he watched Beau attempting to parkour off a counter to reach top shelf with his eyebrows raised, a hand reached out to take Fjord's. Their fingers intertwined on the tabletop, something that had been happening more and more frequently as of late. Whether they were at home or out and about, Caleb had taken to linking their hands together whenever the mood struck.

Although Fjord enjoyed the new confidence, the thing that really caught his attention was the weight that no longer rested at his shoulders. He seemed freer than he'd ever been with his smiles and laughs and casual touches. There were times when Fjord would look at him while Caleb's attention was elsewhere, and he looked completely at peace. The first time he witnessed it all the breath escaped his lungs drawing the attention of almost every member of the Nein. He'd been able to talk his way out of their questions and stop himself from doing it again, but it still never failed to take his breath away.

“You didn't wake me up.” Before he got the chance to not make it completely obvious he'd been staring, Caleb turned to him with a soft smile.

“We don't have any plans for the day. I didn't see the point in waking you up. Some extra sleep won't hurt you.”

“Maybe, but it was strange waking up alone. I've grown used to the company.”

“Next time, I'll be sure to stick around.”

Caleb's smile grew a little wider as he squeezed their intertwined hands, then leaned his head against Fjord's shoulder. “Thank you, Fjord. For everything.”

“For what? Keeping a promise I made after breaking it the first time?”

“No. For caring.”

The uncertainty over his decision that still tugged at the back of his brain came to an abrupt halt with Caleb's admission. While they had a few late-night discussions behind closed doors, something about Caleb's tone made this moment feel more significant than any previous ones. Maybe, a part of him still worried that his decision didn't give Caleb the closure he needed, but this cemented he made the right decision. With Caleb's warmth radiating against his side, he felt sure of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


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